MINI, DEUS EX MACHINA AND DESIGNWORKS
Homage à trois.

A CELEBRATION OF MINI´s RACING LEGACY.

In a culture of algorithms and uniformity, customization is one of the few ways people can still shape their environment on their own terms. Which is why MINI John Cooper Works and Deus Ex Machina joined forces with Designworks to do exactly that — strip down two race-bred MINIs and rebuild them, each as a one-off with its own character.

DEUS ❤️ MINI

Years ago, Deus Ex Machina and designer Matt Willey independently built their own tribute to MINI—unofficial, handcrafted, and wildly well-received. MINI took note. What began as a grassroots homage became the seed for something more intentional: an invitation to collaborate, this time with Designworks added to the mix.

Two modified MINI race cars speeding along a coastal road at sunset, one with roof lights.
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Launched September 2025

MINI John Cooper Works and Deus Ex Machina joined forces with our Designworks Munich team to celebrate MINI´s racing legacy with two custom one-off cars.

HOMAGE À TROIS.

Deus brought the story. MINI the racing history and the spirit. Designworks the creative glue. Together, the team stripped two brand-new John Cooper Works MINIs—one petrol, one electric—down to their bones. Dashboards, door panels, even a whole roof came off. Then, piece by piece, the cars were rebuilt by hand. Not as concepts, but as custom one-offs.

The result? Two siblings from the same bloodline, yet raised in different worlds. One forged in a race garage. The other crafted in a surfboard shaping bay. Each with its own character. Both unmistakably MINI.

  • Two modified sports cars parked side by side, one orange with "DEUS" text, the other black and white with racing decals.
  • Interior of a modified car with beige accents, exposed roof structure, custom steering wheel, and "JOHN COOPER WORKS" logo. A surfboard can be seen mounted to the roof.
  • Open door of a modified MINI revealing a stripped-down interior with yellow accents, bucket seats, and exposed metal.
  • Close-up of a car's rear with a beige panel, yellow bolt, and red taillight with a grid pattern.
  • Rear view of an orange and white MINI sports car with "DEUS" text, large spoiler, and exposed exhaust.
  • Car interior with black and red bucket seats, black handbrake with "CHASE BAYS" label, and exposed gearbox.
  • Custom car interior with black and red racing seats, carbon fiber details, John Cooper Works and DEUS branding, and manual transmission gear shift.
  • Car door interior showing speaker, control panel, and large circular component.
  • Car door interior with red circular lights, white X pattern, and speaker.
“Collaboration was at the heart of this project. Sparks flew the moment Designworks met MINI and the DEUS crew. Watching them push limits and come together like a gang was inspiring — and the result speaks for itself.”
Annette Baumeister, Director Designworks Munich Studio.

THE SKEG: BUILT IN A SHAPING BAY.

The electric sibling carries the codes of surf culture. Its body is rendered in translucent fiberglass, chosen for the way it fades and weathers like a board left out in the sun. MINI-typical fabric straps recall the ritual of hauling gear from car to beach. The palette is muted and sun-bleached, intentionally stripped of automotive perfection.

And here comes the spoiler: from the inside, light bends through it like water overhead, creating the sensation of being inside a wave. A reminder that custom culture isn’t just about how things look. It’s about how they make you see the world around you.

THE MACHINA: BORN IN A RACE GRAGE

The Machina doesn’t filter the world. It hands it to you raw. Built in aluminum with perforated body panels, it wears its engineering character on the surface. Exposed welds and visible seams celebrate craft rather than concealing it. Waxed canvas, tension straps, and racing harnesses replace polish with purpose.

The dashboard is stripped of digital overlays, leaving only analog instruments that speak directly to the driver. Every vibration, every shift, every sound is part of the story. Heritage reborn through utility. Racing, sleeves rolled up, eyes sharp.

  • Person working on a digital tablet with a stylus, desk with laptop and equipment in the background.
  • Three men examining a black car with red accents in a workshop, design boards with images and text in the background.
  • Person applying vinyl graphics to a red and black Mini Cooper in a garage with the hood and doors open.
  • Group of people posing with a modified red and white MINI rally car in a garage.
  • Hand-drawn diagram of a car spoiler with labeled core material, translucent epoxy, and tapering details.
  • Woman smiling and holding a large, light-green, curved car part in a workshop with posters in the background.
  • Man in green shirt placing a large, curved, light-green car part onto a black vehicle in a workshop.
  • A man in a black shirt looks upward as another man in a cap adjusts a large overhead panel.
  • Three people working on a table with tools in a garage, with a disassembled car on jacks nearby.
  • A man in a dark shirt and glasses inspects the front of a the Deus MINI.
  • A diverse group of people posing with a vintage gray race car in a well-lit industrial workspace.
“The design and making of Machina and Skeg showcase our passion for Mini´s racing heritage, energized through the lens of youthful custom culture.”
Tithima Supavanichyanont, Director Design & Creative Consulting, Munich Studio

FLUID CREATIVITY. SOLID CRAFT.

This project unfolded outside the usual structures. Rather than following a rigid process, the team embraced a workshop spirit — open, collaborative, and hands-on. That freedom gave every detail its moment of focus, every idea its chance to shape the outcome.

Everywhere you look there’s a bit of a story. There’s intention. Every material, toggle, and panel had to justify its existence. Does it improve performance? Does it tell the story? Most importantly, does it make you feel the story—even if you’ve never lived it?

IN A WORLD WHERE BRANDS CHASE ATTENTION, MINI EARNS AFFECTION.

From its inception, MINI has always been a brand rooted in culture—woven into music, fashion, racing, and the streets. It’s part of its DNA.

This collaboration is another testament to what happens when a brand opens itself to cultural exchange and dares to co-create visions of what its products could be through the eyes and lives of the communities that love them.

“Following a very free-thinking process actually helped inspire many of the cool details that ultimately made it into the cars — details people now get really excited about.”
Mattias Granlund, Designer, Designworks Munich Studio

FIND OUT MORE!

If you’d like to learn more about this project and how we at Designworks are shaping the future of e-mobility, feel free to reach out via email John.C.Schoenbeck@bmwgroupdesignworks.com or contact us through our website.